SRF Stewart Rhind Science Writing Prize

05.02.18– We are now inviting submissions for the 2018 prize. Please note, that from 2018, there are no longer two parallel competitions for undergraduate and postgraduate entries. All entries will be judged together for one prize.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: FRIDAY 6 JULY 2018, 17.30 HRS (UK TIME).

2017 SRF Steward Rhind Science Writing Prize

We were delighted to award the 2017 SRF Stewart Rhind Science Writing Prize to Kirsty Uttley, a fourth year student at the University of Edinburgh studying Biological Sciences (Molecular Genetics) (BSc Hons). Kirsty won the prize for her essay ‘The Current State of Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy’.

Kirsty was presented with her certificate and £500 prize money at Fertility 2018 in January by Dr Adam Watkins.

There was no postgraduate prize awarded in 2017.

Who was Stewart Rhind?

The SRF Essay Prize was renamed in honour of Dr Stewart Rhind who was tragically killed in a car accident in March 2013, along with his colleague Dr Julian Dawson. Click here to read more about Dr Rhind and why Professor Mick Rae, a friend and colleague of Dr Rhind, feels that renaming the essay competition was a suitable way for the Society to remember Stewart and his contributions.

Competition Guidelines

The essay must be about an aspect of reproductive biology and will be assessed on scientific content, style and topicality.

The essay should be written in a style accessible to the educated non-specialist reader (similar to a New Scientist or Scientific American article – see previous winning essays below for examples). Course essays written in a standard scientific style are unlikely to be successful in the competition.

NEW! From 2018, there are no longer two parallel competitions for undergraduate and postgraduate entries. All entries will be judged together for one prize.

The winner will receive a prize of £500, one year’s free membership of the SRF and will be invited to attend the Fertility meeting (January 2019) to receive their prize. The winning entry will be published on the SRF website.